Top of the World
by heinzsight
Summary: Santana is tired of the repetitive cycle that her life has become. Her job, her relationship, and her routine have left her exhausted and desperately craving something more. When a blue-haired beauty unexpectedly shows up at her work, can the girl manage to break the cycle and give Santana the life she's been dreaming of?
1. Chapter 1

**Hi! I haven't been able to get this story out of my head for the past few days, and I thought that I'd share it with you guys.**

**While there **_**is**_** some Brittana in this story, please don't let it deter you as the romantic interaction between Santana and Brittany will be **_**very**_**limited**

**The song "Something Great" by One Direction is a very good song to apply to this story and to understand how Santana is feeling, however the title comes from the song "Top of the World" by Hedley.**

* * *

If someone were to ask, "Santana, are you happy with your life?" The honest answer would be a resounding no. And while I'm not particularly _upset_ with any part of it, I'm just bored with every aspect, having always envisioned something greater for myself once I escaped the confines of Lima, Ohio.

With that being said, it's obvious that I had never expected to have a monotonous life at the age of 26. But here I am, still in the prime of my youth, with a life that has been the same routine for the past three years. I work three days a week, sometimes four just to shake it up, come home, make or reheat dinner, and spend most of the time watching reality TV reruns on my own until my long-time girlfriend makes it back from teaching her dance classes at a popular, successful studio three blocks over. Once a week we have a "date night" which is typically just dinner at a small, quiet Thai place down the street, and once a month we attend dinner with our long-time friends Rachel, Kurt, and Kurt's fiancé Blaine. And then the cycle repeats itself.

So naturally, when I arrived at work today it felt like a day I had lived a thousand times before. I stopped for coffee and a muffin in the hospital cafeteria before going to the locker room in my ward to change into a clean pair of scrubs. I did my rounds on the patients in my sector, changed bandages, gave out medicine, and updated files. Even my job has a very specific routine that very rarely sees any deviation unless a patient codes.

It was only two hours into my twelve hour shift when I got paged to the emergency room. A multi-car, multi-person accident had occurred, and all of the usual hands that worked trauma were on deck, so I was assigned to cover for a couple of nurses.

It's as I'm exiting an exam room that the double doors to the emergency room burst open and a pair of paramedics are rushing a stretcher into Trauma Room C. A flash of blue catches my eye and without realizing it I begin to make my way to the room and peer through the window.

The short medic, a lady who must be at least in her early forties, is updating the surrounding medical team, but the only thing I can pay any attention to is the person laying, unmoving, on the stretcher. It's a woman, early to mid-twenties. There's a small tattoo of a cross on her hand and what looks like script on the inside of her wrists. Her blouse, which is still a crisp white in some spots, is mostly dirty now, and there's a tear in her jeans. But the most interesting part of all is her hair, a shocking, unnatural blue spread across a white sheet. It makes all of the colors I know of seem dull in comparison.

I stand there for what feels like an eternity, just staring. There's something inside of me that is keeping me anchored, refusing to let me move. It isn't until the medical team surrounds the woman and blocks my view that I am able to leave the window.

I try to keep updated on what's happening with her but it's a lost cause once they move her and the only thing I manage to overhear is that she's being prepped for surgery.

Images of the blue-haired mystery laying defenseless on an OR bed plague me for the rest of my time in the ER, and I can't help but be consumed by the thought that I might see her again.

* * *

It's not until I get back from lunch in the late afternoon that I'm informed that I'm finally able to return to my usual duties on the post-op ward. I return with unusual unadulterated excitement, the thought that the girl with the electric blue hair, who had been taken into surgery for an emergency splenectomy, should most definitely be out by now, and the knowledge that my sector had the most available rooms all too prevalent in my mind.

As I approach the nurse's station, the old, stout nurse, Irene, that I work most shifts with and who has acted like a second mother in my time at the hospital says, "There's a new patient in 331B, Lopez. She's still out, but she got here an hour ago and should be waking up any time now. You might want to find a pair of sunglasses before you go in, though, the color of that girl's hair could burn your eyes out."

I chuckle and try not to give away the excitement that her words brought me, and I slowly make my way to the now occupied room, the tapping of my shoes on the linoleum floor unnoticeable over the thundering beating of my heart.

When I open the door the first thing I notice is the shock of blue hair as it contrasts with the pale white pillow under the woman's head. She appears to be sleeping peacefully, presumably still under the effects of anesthesia. I make my way to the end of her bed and grab her chart, eager to learn more about the woman I curiously haven't been able to stop thinking about for the past three hours.

Her name is Danielle Louise Harper, she's 25, and she lives in Manhattan. She's allergic to penicillin. She has no emergency contacts listed, which indicates that she probably is not married or in any sort of committed relationship, which is sad because she is incredibly beautiful, obvious despite the scratches on her face and the unflattering hospital gown she's donning. I'm reading the short description of her accident when I hear the sound of a throat clearing. I look up from the chart and see a pair of deep brown eyes squinting up at me.

She attempts to speak but then clears her throat again, twice more before she finally manages to ask, "Uhhh, where am I?"

I take a deep breath, composing a professional response, before answering, "Hi, Danielle, it's nice to see that you're finally awake. You're in the post-operative ward at the Beth Israel Medical Center. You were involved in an accident where a taxi hit you while you were crossing the street on your bike. You've sustained a couple of broken ribs, a fractured leg, and several scrapes and bruises. You also underwent a successful splenectomy upon your arrival several hours ago. How are you feeling?"

"Wait, isn't the Beth Israel in New York? Why am I in New York?"

"Your health information says that you live here…," I trail off, unsure of how to continue. Does she have amnesia? There's no documentation of head injury in her chart.

"That can't be possible. I'm in the middle of my first semester of university in Arkansas, there's no way that I'm in New York," she claims, her eyebrows scrunch as confusion covers her features.

With each word she says I begin to get more and more panicked, there's no way that she could be suffering from amnesia, and if she is I'm not equipped to deal with this, I've never been in this situation before. There is always a neurosurgeon waiting in the wings for people who have had a head injury or neurosurgery to wake up. I try to quickly think of questions I've overheard doctors ask patients who have suffered head trauma. "What year is it, Danielle?"

"It's 2007, silly," she says confidently.

My throat feels dry as I try to utter out the next question. "A-and who is the president?"

"George W. Bush, of course. Have you been living under a rock? He's been the president since 2001."

My jaw drops and I'm reaching for my pager to try to get Danielle's doctor in here as soon as possible when I notice that the confusion that had once marred her gorgeous features has disappeared and she's begun to chuckle, stopping quickly from the discomfort her surgery and broken ribs are causing.

"Oh my god, I'm just messing with you, calm down," she says, lifting her bruised hand to wipe away a fake tear. "In all seriousness, I'm Dani Harper, I live in Manhattan and have for the past two and a half years. It's 2014, Barack Obama is in his second term of presidency, and while I was in my first semester of school at the University of Arkansas in 2007, I graduated from there three years ago," she smiles up at me and continues, "I know that I was hit by a taxi. Wasn't aware that I'm missing a spleen and have a few broken bones, though, so thanks for the update, I really appreciate it."

My initial shock from her amnesia trick has worn off, and while it was humorous, I'm a little angry that she would pull something like that.

"Has anyone ever told you that you're kind of an asshole?" I ask, raising an eyebrow at her which only causes her to smile.

"You know, I _did_ know that. What I didn't know, though, is that doctors order harsh criticism for their patients that are recovering from surgery nowadays."

I chuckle at how witty she's being but still manage to roll my eyes to show how ridiculous I think she is.

"Is there anything I can get for you? A water, maybe? Your throat must be dry after having a tube stuck down it for a couple of hours. I can get food brought up to you, as well."

"Water would be great. Instead of food could I maybe get a remote so that I can turn on this archaic TV? Waiting around and pretending to be sleeping for the past fifteen minutes has been pretty boring," she says with a smirk.

I shake my head and reply, "One water and a TV remote coming right up."

"Oh! And before you go, do I get a phone call, like in prison? Because I didn't have my cell phone with me when I got run over and if I'm going to be staying here for a few days there is no way I'm staying in this god awful paper dress. I'm going to need to get someone to bring me clothes and things to occupy myself."

"I'll see what the warden has to say, but if you remain on good behavior I'm sure I can get you access to a phone."

Before I leave the room she calls out again, "But seriously, thanks nurse Thinks-I'm-an-Asshole. For the whole update and stuff, you know."

I turn around and say, "I'm just doing my job. And while that's a very accurate name, you can call me Santana."

She smiles at that and replies, "Thanks, I'll keep that in mind, nurse Has-a-Name-Almost-as-Pretty-as-her-Face."

I shake my head, smile and exit quickly to prevent her from seeing the blush that is undoubtedly covering my cheeks.

I have to fight to keep the smile off of my face for the rest of the day.

* * *

On my next two rounds to room 331B, I get to know Dani much better. It turns out that while her chart was very informative about the basics, it lacked many important details and she is far more fascinating than any medical record would ever be able to express.

She's talkative, funny, smart, and witty. She's incredibly kind and extraordinarily honest. She has a bright smile that never seems to be absent from her face, and an adorable giggle. And of course, she is insanely attractive. On my third and last round of her room for the day, I discover that she also she seems to get a lot of enjoyment from teasing me.

When I open the door, she looks up from one of the many trashy magazines that she had requested on the second trip to her room and smiles widely before saying, "You know, if you enjoy visiting me this much, you might want to look into getting a personal nurse's station built in here."

"Why? Just so you can tease me some more?" I ask, raising an eyebrow. "I think I'll take my chances and stay out with the other old ladies who work this floor."

"Ah, come on, don't go breaking my heart like that," she retorts, jutting her lower lip into a pout that almost makes me consider _actually _looking into getting a desk put in here, before continuing, "But in all seriousness, to what do I owe the pleasure of another visit?"

"I've got to change your dressings before I head out for the night. I'm going to have to remove part of your gown in order to have access to the bandages, though."

"_Santana_," she scoffs, acting offended, "You haven't even bought me dinner and you expect me to show you my boobs? What kind of… _floozy_, do you take me for?"

I roll my eyes and quip back, "Relax, I'm sure your boobs aren't even half as impressive as some of the man-boobs I've seen while working here. And dinner gets delivered in half an hour. I hope you like dry vegetables, creamy, oatmeal-like mashed potatoes, and gravy that looks like swamp water. That sounds like first base material, doesn't it?"

Dani's mouth drops open before she shakes her head and grins, "You're sassy. I like that. But come on, get on over here and get this oozing, gooey wound cleaned up so you can get home to what's probably a supermodel boyfriend who's eagerly awaiting your arrival."

I scrunch up my nose at the "oozing, gooey wound" comment and make my way over to the bed with a tray of materials needed to clean the dressings. Setting it on the small nightstand beside the bed, I turn back to her and say, "Girlfriend, actually. And I'm not even sure if she'll be home, she's been working a lot lately."

Dani raises her eyebrows, "Huh, I didn't really get the gay vibe from you. But what does your girlfriend do?"

"She's a dance instructor," I reply, reaching behind her neck to undo the strings of her hospital gown. I continue talking to her in hopes of distracting myself from the fact that she's going to be bare-chested in mere seconds, "She has a group of teens who won a state-wide competition a few weeks ago, and in a month and a half they have nationals, and she's been working really hard with some other instructors to create the best possible routine."

I take a deep breath to collect myself before easing down the gown, reminding myself to be professional. As soon as her torso is uncovered, I glue my eyes to the bandage and refuse to look anywhere else.

"Well it's… cute that she's so dedicated to what she does. How long have you guys been together?"

"In consecutive years? Four," I say as I wipe the gauze pads with saline solution over the incision, "But in total? Seven."

I glance up at her face only to be met with a look of confusion. "Consecutive? What do you mean by that?"

"I mean that we took a yearlong break during my third year of university," I reply as I begin to dab at the incision with a dry cloth. "However that's a story for another time. What about you? Is there a special someone in your life?"

A small sigh escapes her lips before she says, "No, it seems that all of the girls that are my type are unavailable."

I nod sympathetically before saying, "Well, I'm sure that your luck will change soon."

She smiles up at me as I finish bandaging her up and says, "Thanks, I hope you're right."

I tie her gown back around her neck before cleaning up the mess I made.

"I am right. Who would be crazy enough to let a girl as great as yourself go?" A faint blush creeps into her cheeks as she stares at her hands. To try and save her from feeling embarrassed I quickly clean up the mess that I had made.

I'm tying up the bag of waste when I hear her quietly ask, "Do you work tomorrow?"

"Yeah, I'm here from eight to eight tomorrow, so you'll be seeing a lot of me, don't you worry."

Dani nods with a small smile. "Have a good night, Santana. Oh, and while you're eating a nice dinner tonight, think of me and how I'll be here suffering through the sad excuse these people serve for food. And if that makes you feel even the slightest bit bad, keep in mind that I really love breakfast sandwiches with extra bacon."

"I'll keep that in mind, don't worry. Good night, Dani, I'll see you tomorrow."

* * *

I decide to eat dinner at a small diner across the street from the hospital since I know that there's no food at my apartment and it's too late to cook. Feeling particularly adventurous from a good day, I order the breakfast special.

When I leave the diner it's 9PM, and the last place I want to go is back home. I know that this bit of genuine happiness will evaporate as soon as I get back to my apartment, and wanting to hold onto it for as long as I can, I decide to go grocery shopping first.

There's a small grocery store between the hospital and my apartment and I spent another hour browsing the shelves, taking the time to read boxes of things I didn't even intend to buy.

It's the sound of my phone going off in my pocket, a short tone indicating a text message that breaks me out of my reverie.

**[From Britt]: Where are you?**

A heavy sigh escapes from my lips when I realize that I can't avoid my regular life forever and I tap out a quick reply.

**[To Britt]:** **Work ran late & I stopped for groceries. On my way home now.**

I quickly check out at the store and quickly find myself on the usual route back to my apartment. The lights are off so I'm sure that Brittany has already gone on to bed. I quietly pack away the groceries and then take a quick shower.

I slide into bed, back turned to Brittany, and remind myself that in a few short hours I'll be back at work, where I'm sure more entertaining banter will ensue and make two good days in a row.

It's when Brittany rolls over and rests her arm over my side that I'm brought back to reality and remember that while Dani's presence is a bright spot, it's not going to last forever, and once she's given the clear to leave the hospital, I'll be back to the life that has been suffocating me for years.

* * *

**Thank you for reading! I hope you enjoyed the first chapter. I'm just getting back into the swing of writing so feedback would be greatly appreciated. :)**


	2. Chapter 2

**Here's the second chapter of TotW! Thank you all for the reviews/follows/favourites, it really means a lot.**

**This will probably be the last update until about Wednesday. I have to work the next four days, but I'm going to work on getting the third chapter written and edited during my spare time.**

**Hope you enjoy!**

* * *

When my alarm rings at 6AM, I bounce out of bed with an excitement that has never been present this early my entire life. I'm just not a morning person. Brittany, on the other hand, is, and the empty apartment means that she has already left for her morning jog.

I take a quick shower, blow dry my hair, pull it back into my usual tight pony tail, throw a clean pair of scrubs and a small lunch into my bag and am out of the door before Brittany even makes it back.

It's only 7AM by the time I make it to the small diner, Melanie's, across the street from Beth Israel's again. I order two breakfast sandwiches to go, one with extra bacon, and an orange and an apple juice, just in case.

By the time I change and make it up to 331B, it's 7:30, and I walk in expecting Dani to still be sound asleep, however the sight that I'm met with makes me stop dead in my tracks.

She's sitting in her bed in a massive University of Arkansas sweater, pajama pants, and a wool sock with her hair tied high on her head and a pair of black-rimmed glasses and she's… _knitting_?

"You knit? Are you kidding me right now?"

She looks up and grins widely at me before shrugging, "Yeah, it's fun. My grandma taught me how to when I was twelve. It really passes the time. "

"Did you know that there are old ladies in the geriatrics ward who are more hip than you?"

"Oh, I don't doubt it, but I have more actual hips than they do so I think that that makes up for it."

I shake my head and make my way over to sit in the chair beside her bed and place the paper bag with breakfast sandwiches next to her. "Yours has a sticker on it, and I got apple and orange juice because I wasn't sure what you prefer," I explain before continuing, "What are you even doing up this early?"

Dani already has her sandwich out of the wrapper and the bottle of apple juice in her lap before she answers, "You're a saint, you know that? And I didn't really get much sleep. I'm kind of a rough sleeper, and with this stupid cast and incision it made it really hard. So I've been awake and knitting since about 4AM."

I nod and ask, "So how are you feeling today?"

She covers her mouth to hide the food she's chewing and says, "A lot better. I mean I still feel like I got hit by a car, but I feel better than I did yesterday. I'd feel a _lot_ better if I didn't have to wear this tacky cast, though. Speaking of, do you think that the gift shop would have a bedazzler for sale? If I've gotta wear this thing for the next six weeks then I want to at least make it fashionable."

"No, but they _do_ have an impressive set of sparkly fairy stickers," I reply.

She nods earnestly, "You know, I might have to look into buying a pack. Or maybe I'll just make a very large sock once I'm finished of this scarf."

"Both are brilliant ideas," I answer with a smile. "But, it's almost time for my shift, so I've got to go. I'll be back during rounds with pain meds and fresh bandages."

"And I'll be here, impatiently awaiting your arrival."

I smile at the ground, unsure how such a small comment could make me feel so important.

* * *

When I dropped off Dani's lunch, a disgusting mixture of cream of wheat, egg salad sandwiches, and cherry jello, earlier in the day she asked me if I wanted to have my lunch in her room, since it gets pretty lonely in the room by herself for extended periods of time. I agreed whole-heartedly, of course, and at 4PM I'm on my way to her room with two cups of coffee from the cafeteria, a prepackaged salad and an apple.

I'm just passing the nurse's station when I hear someone call out my name and I turn around to see the attending general surgeon that was the lead on Dani's case jogging to catch up to me.

"331B, the girl with the blue hair, she's in your sector, right?" he says, and once he gets my nod for confirmation, continues, "Ok, I have an emergency surgery I have to head to right now and won't make it out in time to update her, so tell her she's cleared to leave in the morning. Go over proper care and everything, you know what to do."

When he turns around and jogs off in the other direction, the reality of what he said hits me. Dani's leaving tomorrow. She's leaving tomorrow and I will never see her again. It feels like my heart has dropped into my stomach and my lungs have shrunk. The worst thing about it is how irrational I know I'm being. I've known the girl for a mere twenty four hours and yet she's managed to become the one bright spot in the dull grey canvas that my life has become. And tomorrow that bright spot is going to disappear.

I take several deep breaths to collect myself before I even attempt to go anywhere near 331B, and a minute later I'm ready to go and make the most of the limited time that I have left with Dani.

She's still knitting when I enter, but stops immediately and places it on the night stand and gives me her full attention.

"Hey! I thought you were never gonna show up!" When she smiles at me, I feel like I'm back to normal.

"Yeah, I'm late, I know. But you see, I just had to make a little detour…," I say, reaching into my back pocket, causing her to raise a perfectly sculpted eyebrow in suspicion. When I toss the pack of fairy stickers into her lap she falls backwards into her pillows and covers her face, her body shaking with the laughter that she can't let out due to her injuries.

"I can't believe you actually bought me the stickers," she says, tearing the packet open. She's still shaking her head at me as she begins to add the stickers to her cast. "How has your day been?"

"It's been good," I reply, pausing to chew a bite of my salad, "Busy, but good. I'd ask about yours but I'm sure the news I have for you will definitely change your answer."

"Oh?"

"You've been cleared to leave the hospital tomorrow!" I say with as enthusiasm as I can muster, but Dani makes a face anyway. "Why did you make that face? Aren't you happy to be getting out of here?"

"Well, yeah, it'll be nice to not be confined to a hospital bed with IV stuck in my hand, but it's just… I don't know anybody with a car, and the backseat of a taxi is a tight squeeze for someone as banged up as I am, so I'm kind of in a messy situation," she responds with a shrug.

It's then that I remember that I have my license, and while I don't have a car, Blaine does, and I'm sure I would be able to convince him, with or without force, to lend it to me for an hour or so. "I don't mean to sound like a predator, or anything, but if you want I could drive you. I have the day off and I don't have any plans. Plus the car has an adjustable front seat."

"Oh, Santana, after everything you've done for me, I couldn't possibly ask you to do that," she says, placing a hand over heart.

"Really, Dani, I wouldn't mind. I'm more than happy to help." My words, however, do not seem to convince her.

"Are you sure? I really don't want to cause you any more trouble." I nod, trying not to seem too eager, and that finally seems to break her resolve. "Okay, you can give me a ride." I smile widely at her before biting into my apple.

Finished adding stickers to her cast, she finally picks up the coffee that's been sitting next to her, takes the lid off and adds three little sugar packets. She takes a drink from the cup and then spits it right back out, a look of disgust covering her face.

"Oh my _god_, do they use for dirt for coffee grinds here? This is terrible, how do you drink this multiple times a day?"

I shrug and answer, "I don't know, really. You get used to it over time. And I mean, it's free, so what more could I ask for?"

"Do you even have taste buds left? Because I can feel mine slowly dying from just one sip."

I laugh loudly at her, tossing the small remains of my lunch into the trash can near her bed.

"I've gotta run again. Thank you for the most entertaining lunch that I've had in a while."

"It was my pleasure," she says with a massive grin, "Thank you for the stickers, they're very beautiful. And thanks for the coffee, too, I guess, since your intentions were good."

I never manage to leave this room without a smile on my face.

* * *

When I get home that evening, the first thing that I do is go straight to my closet. I have plans to pick up Blaine's car at 10AM and I agreed to arrive at the hospital to get Dani an hour later, and now the only thing I have left to do is pick out an outfit.

After rummaging through my closet and dresser drawers several times, I decide on a cute, dark pair of jeans, and a thin, red cashmere sweater, with a deep v-neck. Thankfully, it's been cool for mid-September and I won't boil alive in it.

I hang the clothes up in the closet and go the kitchen to make myself a small bite to eat, and it's then that I hear the door to the apartment open, a bag drop, and footsteps coming towards the kitchen. Hands wrap around my waist and a head rests on my shoulder.

"Late night again, B?" I say, continuing to spread strawberry jam on my toast.

"Mhm," she hums, "We finally finished the choreography tonight." I hum in approval, and she continues, "I think I'm just going to go to bed now, though, I'm exhausted," she says, pressing a quick kiss to my cheek, "Night, love you."

"Love you, too, Britt."

* * *

I wake up at 8:30 after a tumultuous night's sleep and take a short, hot shower in hopes that it will calm me down some. I don't know why I'm feeling so nervous, I'm just being a good friend and helping Dani out. It's no different than helping Rachel or Kurt.

I dry my hair, taking deep breaths, and then rummage through the bathroom cabinet, finding the curling iron that I haven't used in ages. I decide on loose curls, casual and it doesn't require too much effort yet still looks nice.

When I finally get to the apartment that Blaine shares with Kurt and Rachel, Blaine is already outside, leaning against the car and tossing his keys up into the air over and over again.

When he looks up at me, he raises one of his unnaturally large eyebrows. He gives me a quick once-over before commenting, "Hot date?"

I give him a small smile before replying, "No, not quite. Besides, Britt's working today." I look down and brush imaginary lint off of my sweater.

"Oh, I know, but I meant with someone other than Brittany. You haven't dressed this nice for her in a few years," he says, and I look up, confused. "But that's none of my business. Whatever you're up to for the next couple hours, I hope you have fun." He tosses the keys to me and makes his way back into the apartment, and I'm left standing on the sidewalk, unsure of what just happened.

What did he even mean, a hot date with someone other than Brittany? I know that it's obvious that the romance and the passion that had been fiery and noticeable in our relationship have long since been doused by routines and growing up, but that happens to every couple. I still love her to pieces and genuinely believe that she's my future. And even if by some twist of fate she _isn't_, I would still never be able to hurt her like that. She's my very best friend.

A trip that should have only taken five minutes ends up taking forty five thanks to the everyday brutal New York City traffic and an accident in the middle of an intersection halfway to the hospital.

As I quickly walk through the hospital, I regret wearing heels. While they look great and I look great, I'm still nowhere near room 331B and my feet are already killing me.

When I finally get to the room, Dani is sitting on the edge of her bed in a cute flannel shirt and a pair of grey sweatpants that were large enough to pull over her cast filling out the required discharge paperwork. Her hair is down today and she's not wearing her glasses anymore.

She looks up when she hears the door opening, and when she sees me her eyes widen and her jaw drops.

"Wow… Uhhhh, wow," she stutters out, wiping her mouth with her hand. "You… you look great."

I can't prevent the large smile that spreads across my face. "So do you," I reply, and I receive a breathy, incredulous laugh in return. "I'm serious. You could be wearing a potato sack and still look wonderful."

I can see her cheeks begin to take on a rosy shade before she ducks and focuses back on her paperwork, shaking her head.

It's then that the door opens again, only this time a nurse pushing a wheelchair enters.

Dani looks up again, but the look of awe that had been on her face earlier is now replaced with disgust as she eyes the wheelchair. "I am _not_ riding in that. I can make it out of here on the crutches," she says, pointing at the new set of crutches that are resting against the end of her bed.

"Hospital protocol," the nurse and I both answer simultaneously.

Dani rolls her eyes with a small smile, "Alright, then. At least help me get into it, I'm ready to blow this Popsicle stand."

The nurse and I delicately lift her up from the bed and into the wheelchair, and once she's comfortable I pile her duffle bag, a small plastic bag that she had resting next to it, and her crutches onto her lap and finally begin wheeling her out of the hospital.

As I'm pushing her across the parking lot she says, "Oh god, I didn't know the car was eight light years away. If I tried to hobble all this way I would have fell over and died."

"You're sort of a drama queen, you know that?" I reply, which only causes her to tilt her head back to smile up at me.

"First you tell me that I'm an asshole. Then you give me a crappy dinner in exchange for me letting you see my boobs. Now you're telling me that I'm a drama queen. You sure do know how to treat a girl right, Santana."

"Hey now, I also told you that you would look good in a potato sack _and_ I bought you a breakfast sandwich. Did you know that extra bacon costs more? What more could you want?" I retort, and she shakes her head and smiles again. It seems to have become a habit between the two of us.

Once I have her situated in the car, which takes another solid twenty minutes, I try my best limo driver impression and ask, "Where would you like to go, madam?"

"Oh, only the finest establishment of the East Village Bed and Coffee, of course," she answers in a posh British accent.

My eyebrows pull together at her answer. "You're staying at a hotel?"

"Well, yeah, but only until I'm able to climb the stairs to my own apartment."

"Won't that be expensive?" I ask, my voice filled with concern. She already has extremely expensive hospital bills to take care of; I don't want her to have to spend even more money just to heal.

She places her hand on mine and it takes all I have to not veer off the road when a plethora of tingles shoot up my arm. This is the first time that we have ever touched in a way that couldn't be viewed as appropriate contact between a nurse and a patient. "Don't worry, it won't be too bad. One of my co-workers works the night shift there and he managed to get me a room with a _major_ discount. Plus, it'll only be for two weeks tops. Just until the incision from my surgery heals and I don't have to worry about it tearing open when I try to get up the stairs."

"If you say so," I reply, unconvinced. Her thumb makes a small circle over the back of my hand and then her hand is off of mine and I can't help but silently pray for her to put it back.

The prayers are in vain, however, as I pull up to the hotel so quickly that there's barely any time for further conversation. I help her out of the car and have somebody come to take in her duffle bag.

She's standing on the sidewalk, balancing on her crutches, holding onto the plastic bag with a vice grip, when she says, "Santana, I have absolutely no idea how I will ever be able to repay you for everything you've done for me these last few days."

"Dani, don't…," I try to say before she cuts me off.

"No, I'm serious. You've been absolutely amazing to me. Never in my wildest dreams thought I would ever meet someone as genuinely good as you, and if it meant being able to meet you I would've gotten hit by ten taxis that day."

I can feel my eyes start to water so I stare at the ground, trying to make sure that she doesn't see. Nobody has ever made me feel this appreciated and for a very long time I was convinced that no one ever would, and yet here I am, standing in front of a beaten and bruised girl that I've known for two days, feeling like the most wonderful person in the world.

"Again, like I said, I'll never able to repay you, but here's a small token of my appreciation for now," she continues, handing me the plastic bag. "Now get over here and give me a hug."

I gingerly wrap my arms around her, careful to not hurt her, when she pulls me tight against her. My whole body feels like it's tingling and I can't believe that a hug could ever feel so spectacular. We stand there for a minute before she finally pulls away.

"See you, Santana," she says with a smile, and I nod because I feel like my voice has escaped me.

Once she's inside the small hotel and I'm sitting in the driver's seat of the car, I open the plastic bag that Dani had given me. I open it to find the beautiful royal blue scarf that she had been making the day before. It's when I go to put the scarf back in the bag that I notice a small slip of paper folded in half at the very bottom.

I place the scarf in the passenger's seat and pull out the slip of paper. Written in adorable, bubbly handwriting is a phone number and directly below it reads the message:

_Text/call me if you're ever interested in going out for some free coffee that doesn't taste like the ground. My treat. – Dani xo_

It takes everything in me to not pick up my phone and call her to take her up on her offer right away.

* * *

**Again, I hope you enjoyed the chapter! In the next one you get to find out more about Dani's life. :)**


	3. Chapter 3

**And here we have the third chapter of TotW! I know I said on the last chapter that this should have been updated by Wednesday, but I was pretty sick from Saturday to Monday, and I had a family issue that was kinda getting me down and so I had a lot less time that originally expected, so sorry for the delay. :( Again, thanks for all of the reviews/follows/favourites, it means the world to me.**

**I haven't been putting a disclaimer on this story, so for the record, I don't own anything and am not affiliated with Glee in any way.**

**Also, shout-out to the anonymous reviewer who uses the pen name Lemi Dovato. It cracks me up every time I see it.**

* * *

When I get home that afternoon, I'm surprised to see Brittany sitting on the couch, watching TV and eating a bowl of fruit. I'm confused and immediately concerned that something's wrong because she's never ever home this early.

"Britt?" I ask quietly, slipping out of my heels. "What are you doing home?"

She looks up and the fork she was holding falls out of her hand. "Um, where we finished the choreography already I have a break in between classes now and I forgot my lunch. But forget about that, you look amazing today… Not that you don't look amazing every day, but wow."

I smile, put the bag with the scarf on the coffee table, and sit next to her on the couch, stealing a small piece of cantaloupe out of the bowl.

"What's in the bag?" She asks, picking out another piece of cantaloupe and giving it to me.

"Oh," I say, popping the small chunk of fruit into my mouth before replying, "Just a cute scarf that some adorable old lady on my floor made for me. I stopped in to see her on my way to my doctor's appointment before she was discharged." I'm not even sure why I lied about who gave me the scarf or what I was doing today, but it felt right deep down inside to keep Brittany in the dark about Dani's existence.

As soon as Brittany heard the words "doctor" and "appointment" in the same sentence her head snapped to look at me. "Doctor's appointment? San, are you okay?" she asks frantically, eyes wide. "I know I've been busy and we haven't had as much time to ourselves as usual but if you aren't feeling well you should tell me, you know I would drop everything for you."

"No, B, no, I'm okay," I answer, resting a hand on her shoulder as she sighs in relief. "It was just a check-up; I haven't had one in a while."

"Okay, good. I'm not sure what I would do if it was something serious. I don't know how I would be able to survive without you," she says, standing up with a now empty bowl. She makes the short trip to the kitchen and places it in the sink before coming back in and giving me a chaste kiss. "But, I have to go back to work now, I have another class soon. Bye, S, love you."

Brittany is out the door before I even have time to respond and I'm on my own once again.

I pull the slip of paper that Dani had left tucked in the bag out of my pocket and open it again, rereading the small message for the fourth time since I first discovered it. It's still far too soon to actually text her. I stuff the paper back in my pocket and get up off the couch, intent on finding something to occupy myself and fight the urge to send Dani a text.

In a short hour I have the dishes washed and the bathroom cleaned and the need to text Dani was eating me alive the entire time. I don't even know why I want to talk to her so badly, we're barely even friends.

When I start on making dinner, chopping up peppers and boiling chicken for quesadillas, I can't help but think about the small note again. Why does she even want to see me again? I'm just the weird, pushy, boring nurse lady that helped her out in a time of need. Surely she has much more interesting friends who are worthy of her time. But if she didn't think I was worthy of her time, why would she want to go get coffee with me instead of someone else?

What's even more confusing than Dani wanting to see me again is the "xo" that she signed after her name. I exclusively use "xo's" with Brittany, my parents, and in birthday wishes to friends. But it doesn't necessarily mean anything, does it? I mean, Rachel frequently uses them when messaging all of her friends, so maybe Dani uses it in the same way. Of course she meant it in a friendly way.

_ Or maybe she did mean it in a romantic way and maybe you want her to._

I narrowly miss my finger with the knife when the thought pops into my head, and then I can't help but laugh at how ridiculous I'm being. I am in a serious, committed relationship with a woman I love dearly. Dani is just a new person in my life who I have a strong desire to be friends with and who I really want to like me. If anything, a new friend would shake up the tiring cycle that my life has become and that's what I've wanted all along, isn't it? Maybe that's why I want Dani in my life so badly, not only because she's an interesting, beautiful person but because her friendship would be beneficial to me. Or at least that's what makes the most sense.

Finished with cooking for now, I go back to the couch and sit down. I stare at the TV for several minutes, not completely sure of what I'm watching, and then decide that texting Dani after three hours would be totally reasonable. It's not like we went on a date and now I have to wait three days to call or text her.

I pull my phone and the slip of paper out of my pocket and carefully type the number into my contacts. Once it's saved, I open up a new message and type "Dani" into the recipient space. I pause for several moments, taking deep breaths, before I decide on a casual, appropriate message.

**[To Dani]: So about that coffee…**

I place my phone on the table, too nervous to hold it while waiting. I hold my breath as I wait for the response, silently berating myself for sounding too needy. When the phone vibrates against the wood table far sooner than expected, I jump nearly a foot into the air out of fright before leaping forward to pick it up.

**[From Dani]: You really don't waste any time, do ya? ;)**

My palms feel sweaty so I wipe them on my jeans several times.

**[To Dani]: I like to be on top of things.**

A second after I hit "send" I realize how the message could be interpreted and immediately send another one.

**[To Dani]: I did not mean that in a dirty way, fyi.**

** [From Dani]: Sure you didn't. ;) When is the next time you're free?**

I have to restrain myself from saying "right now" and instead give her a broader time range so that she can pick the best time for her.

**[To Dani]: I have the next 2 days off of work. :)**

** [From Dani]: How about Friday, then? So then you can have an actual full day off tomorrow.**

** [To Dani]: That's perfect. Just tell me the time and place and I'll be there.**

** [From Dani]: The Beanery, corner of 1st Av & 14th St. 11 am. I'll be outside waiting.**

** [To Dani]: See you then, then. :)**

** [From Dani]: See you then, sunshine. xo**

I collapse back onto the couch and rest my arm over my eyes. Now not only do I have another "xo" to overanalyze over the duration of the next two days, but now I also have two winking faces and a sweet nickname to dwell on as well.

Friday morning cannot come any faster.

* * *

My entire Thursday is dedicated to picking out another outfit and counting down the time until I go for coffee with Dani. When I'm not staring mindlessly at the TV, the clock, or into the abyss of my closet, the majority of my time is dedicated to rereading the text messages we exchanged the day before.

I'm so frustrated by how slowly time has been passing all day that I'm in bed by 9 o'clock, and not being tired in the least I toss and turn until Brittany comes to bed two hours later. Her soft breathing in my ear relaxes me like it has since we were little and in no time I'm fast asleep as well.

When my alarm clock goes off the following morning, I jump out of bed, having just been lying there awake for far too long. I'm too excited and nervous to eat breakfast and figure that a coffee shop would have something to snack on so I head straight to the shower.

I do my hair in soft curls again, the first time in a long time that I've put effort into doing my hair more than once in a week. I decided on wearing a plain white, tight spaghetti strap top with a cute plaid button down over the top, unbuttoned so that it doesn't hide how good my boobs look, another pair of skinny, dark blue jeans, and a pair of knee high leather boots.

I check my phone before leaving and see that I have one message from Dani.

**[From Dani]: See you soon! :) xx**

Smiling, I lock up the apartment and start making my way to the small café that she's undoubtedly already waiting at. When I arrive there, five minutes early, Dani is standing outside, leaning on her crutches, and in the mid-September sunlight her hair is shining brighter than ever.

She's wearing an adorable denim jacket over a cute black top, and somehow she has managed to pull a pair of leggings on over her cast. I can't stop myself from laughing as I get closer and see the sparkly stickers I bought her days before still stuck on her cast. As soon as she hears my laughter, she looks up beaming and her eyes connect with mine immediately.

I walk quickly up to her and wrap my arms around her in a brief hug before saying, "Hey, you look great."

"Thanks, you do, too," she replies, somehow smiling even wider, before continuing, "Although you could have worn another set of scrubs and I'd still think the same thing."

Blushing, I say, "Always the sweet talker. Should we go inside so that you can sit down? Waiting out here on crutches isn't comfortable."

Before she can answer I'm opening the door to the cute little café and waiting for her to enter. The café is homey and welcoming with warm lighting and lots of earthy tones. A few customers are scattered around, one old man reading the Times near the door and an older lady and presumably her daughter sitting in the back corner of the shop eating muffins and chatting animatedly, enjoying how quiet the place is before the lunch time rush.

When the bell rings signalling the staff to a new customer, a cute, young redheaded girl wearing a black visor with "The Beanery" scrawled across the front of it in white cursive pops up from behind the display case at the counter, and when she takes one look at Dani she lets out a deafening squeal.

As the girl is frantically putting down the tray with fresh baked goods and brushing off her hands, Dani looks over her shoulder at me with wide eyes and says, "Santana, do you just want to pick a seat? I bet I'll get your order right."

The other girl is running around the counter and so I quickly nod and make my way to the seat in the corner with the window next to it. I sit down and watch the exchange happening between Dani and the girl who has just let Dani out of a tight hug.

"Oh my god, Dan, Wes and James and Kelly and I were all so worried about you. They're going to be so happy to see you looking so well so soon after the accident. Speaking of, were the clothes I dropped off for you good enough?" the girl asks. I'm not sure she took a single breath throughout her whole spiel. But she was the one who dropped off Dani's clothes? Dani said she was single, didn't she? Plus, if this girl was her girlfriend she wouldn't be so excited to see Dani an entire two days after being let out of the hospital, would she?

"Yeah, Emily, they were great. Thank you so much for that. But I'm here with a friend now, so could I just get my order? We can catch up next time."

"Yeah, sorry, I got a little too excited there," the ginger girl, Emily, replies. I don't catch what they're saying once Emily makes it back behind the counter.

A few minutes later, Dani is hobbling towards the table and Emily is following behind her, carrying a tray with two coffee and two pastries. I get up and pull Dani's seat out, helping her onto it before placing her crutches behind me.

The girl places the tray on the table and smiles at me, and with a quick "Bon appetite" she's gone back to her duties at the counter.

Dani hands me one of the coffees and a small plate with a croissant with chocolate drizzled across the top of it. "Large coffee, black with three sugar. I wasn't sure about the croissant, but everybody seems to enjoy the chocolate one, so I went with the safe bet."

"Wow, you got the coffee exactly right. And chocolate anything is fine by me, so that was a good call," I say with a smile, and she gives me one in return. I take a long drink from the coffee cup and am surprised at how rich it tastes. Dani was completely right in thinking that the hospital coffee tasted like dirt compared to this. "This is absolutely _amazing_."

"See, I told you it was good," she says, a victorious smile adorning her face as she takes a drink from her own cup.

It's silent for a moment before I decide to ask the obvious question. "So, what was that all about?" I ask, nodding towards Emily who's whistling to herself as she cleans the counter.

"Yeah, um, sorry about that," Dani says apologetically. "Emily is easily excitable and I probably should have come here before bringing you so that she could get that out of her system."

"Oh no, it's fine. I had to prevent myself from reacting exactly like that this morning," I say with a smile as she rolls her eyes, before I continue, "You seem to know her pretty well, though. Do you work here or something? You never did tell me what you do."

"Yeah, I guess saying that I work here is accurate," she replies, nodding.

Confused, I ask, "You guess?" This earns a small chuckle from the girl sitting opposite me.

"Um, I kind of own the place," she says, smiling up at me, which causes my jaw to drop.

"You _own_ the place? How did that happen? Like, what's your story? How does one go from attending school in Arkansas to owning a café in New York?"

"One question at a time, please," she replies teasingly. "Would you like to be bored to death with my entire life story?"

I nod eagerly. "That sounds like a wonderful way to die, so go ahead."

Dani smiles down at her plate, takes a deep breath, wipes her mouth, and begins, "_Well_, I was born and raised in the very small town of Huntsville, Arkansas, and lived a very cookie cutter life for a very long time. Because we lived in the Bible Belt, my mom, Maria, was obviously a devout Christian, and while my dad, John, had never been particularly religious before meeting Maria, or so I've been told, he became a minister after they got married. I always had a rough relationship with my parents, I was kind of rebellious and didn't have much time for organized religion, and when I was in my senior year of high school they caught me making out with a girl in the basement of our house. Naturally, being the super religious people that they are, they kicked me out of the house."

"Oh my god, Dani, I'm so sorry," I say, reaching out and resting a hand on hers.

"It's okay," she says with a genuine smile, but she doesn't move her hand out from under mine. "My grandparents on my dad's side have always been really liberal, and as soon as they heard about what happened they took me in. So, I stayed with them and decided to go to university in the area, since I couldn't afford to get out of Arkansas without my parents' support.

"My grandpa, who has been my hero for as long as I can remember, owned a little coffee shop in Fayetteville called 'The Beanery', and that place was his pride and joy. I spent every waking hour of my childhood summers in that place, and during university, I spent every hour that wasn't spent in class sitting in a booth while my grandparents ran the place. But um," she clears her throat and I immediately know that this story is going to take a turn for the worse. "In my last semester, he… he had a stroke, and well, he died," she says. I give her hand a small squeeze and she gives me an appreciative smile.

"My grandmother couldn't run the place on her own, obviously, and so she closed the café and sold the property. But I couldn't let something that meant so much to me and to him end there. But after that, I couldn't stay in Arkansas anymore, and so once I graduated, I got everything set up, and now here I am."

"I'm so sorry about everything that's happened to you, Dani." She takes a drink of coffee with her free hand and smiles at me again.

"Don't be sorry. I believe everything happens for a reason, and if all of that had never happened I never would have moved here, opened this place, or have gotten hit by that taxi, which means I probably would have never met you. You're something special, Santana, so maybe all of the heartbreak was worth it," she says, and her eyes and smile are shining so sincerely that my head ducks under the weight of it.

It's at that moment that the text tone of my phone goes off, and of course it's a message from Brittany.

**[From Britt]: Date night tonight?**

I type back a quick "sure" and return my attention to Dani.

"The girlfriend?" she asks quietly, and I nod my head in confirmation. "What's the deal with that, by the way?"

"Well, we've been best friends since she moved to my hometown of Lima, Ohio, in the second grade. We kind of secretly fooled around a bit for the first three years in high school, and then we became official and went public in our senior year after I got outed to the whole school," I say with a shrug. "We, or rather _I_, had some issues in my junior year of university that never really got resolved but we got back together regardless in my senior year, and now we've been together ever since."

"That's a pretty long time," Dani replies. She lets go of my hand to start eating her neglected croissant. "Wedding bells and babies in your future, by any chance?"

"With Brittany?" I ask and earn a nod in response. "I'm not sure. I mean we're pretty comfortable with where we are right now, I think."

Dani nods in understanding before looking at me and, in a genuinely concerned voice, asks, "Are you happy, Santana?"

I'm taken off-guard by the question, and after a moment of thinking about it, I'm not sure if I am, so I decide to answer with something that I know to be absolutely true. "I'm happy right now," I say, and the smile I get in return reassures me that I gave the right answer.

Once we're both finished, Dani thanks me for going out with her, and we make plans to go for ice cream at a place she doesn't own the following week. Two tingling hugs and a couple of glances thrown over shoulders later as we go in separate directions and I'm on my way back to my apartment.

Thankfully, in the six days that I have separating me from seeing Dani again, I have three shifts at work, two being nights, and lunch and shopping plans with Rachel and Kurt that will cause time to pass faster. But god damn it, why does six days seem like an eternity?

* * *

**I hope you enjoyed the chapter! :)**

**Next up, Dani and Santana run in to someone on their ice cream run that results in an encounter even more awkward than the one with Emily at The Beanery.**

**Also, I really need to talk through my plans for this story with somebody, and so if one of you don't mind being spoiled and could shoot me a non-anonymous message on tumblr, that'd be great! The url is notaspergers.**

**Until next time (which is probably next Wednesday or Thursday)!**


	4. Chapter 4

**Hello!**

**This is a bit of a shorter chapter. I didn't have time to edit this so hopefully there aren't any mistakes.**

**Thanks again for the reviews/follows/favourites!**

* * *

After two dull shifts at work, the next obstacle in the way of an ice cream friend-date with Dani is an excursion with the Wonder Twins. Rounding the corner to their apartment, I see them already sitting out on the front step, seemingly too excited to have waited inside for me.

"Santana!" Rachel shouted, jumping off the step and barreling towards me. Having had enough time to brace myself, we manage to stay upright even though I'm supporting both of our weight. "Oh my god, we haven't seen you in _forever_," she squeals.

"Yeah, I know, Rach, but we've both been too busy," I say, unwrapping myself from her tight hug.

Once Rachel finally lets go, Kurt makes his way over. "Satan," he says with an affectionate smile before giving me a peck on the cheek and a brief hug.

"Porcelain," I reply, giving him a tight squeeze before he lets go. This has been our routine ever since I started spending an unhealthy amount of time in their apartment during university. Rachel and Kurt are now family, just like Brittany.

"Okay, people, we're wasting daylight here," Rachel exclaims, clapping her hands together. "We'll catch up during lunch and while trying on clothes that we have no intention of wearing."

Kurt and I nod, agreeing being our only option, and get hauled along without complaint when Rachel loops her arms with ours and begins pulling us down the street.

My mood has shifted dramatically since meeting Dani, and my contentment is easily picked up on by my two friends.

"What's got you so happy?" Rachel asks, taking a bite of her pasta. "I don't think I've seen you be this pleasant for such an extended period in years."

I shrug before replying, "I don't know, I've just had some good things happen lately."

Of course, such a cryptic answer doesn't satisfy either of them, and they continue to press. Kurt gives me a quick once over, lingering on my left hand. "Well, you're still without a ring, so obviously Brittany hasn't proposed yet."

I roll my eyes as Rachel makes a high-pitched shrieking sound. "Oh my god, you guys aren't pregnant are you? I know we haven't caught up in a month but _that _quickly?"

I cover my mouth with a napkin to prevent myself from spewing water all over the table. "No, Rachel," I respond, shaking my head vigorously. "No, no, no. Marriage _and _pregnancy aren't even on our minds right now."

"How is it not, though?" Kurt asks with confusion. "I mean, you guys have been together forever. I'm pretty sure our entire graduating class would be completely shocked that you guys haven't even tied the knot yet at the very least."

"It's just not something that we feel is necessary right now. We're fine as we are, we don't need to make hasty decisions that will change our entire lives in our mid-twenties."

Kurt and Rachel both stare at me dumbfounded, before the latter asks, "Then if it isn't marriage or babies that have got you so happy, what is it?"

I know that the answer to that question is a blue-haired, coffee brewing beauty, but I settle on a simple answer. "I don't know, I just am, it's that simple. How's that play you guys both got cast in, by the way?"

Thankfully, that question opens up the floodgates and they go into extensive details about the Broadway show they're currently rehearsing for, and their discussions about the drama between some of their cast mates occupy the rest of the conversation.

It's when we're in a little boutique with Rachel and I trying on cute dresses and Kurt giving us his opinion that my phone goes off. Kurt picks it up from where it's resting on my purse and calls out to me where I'm hidden behind a curtain, with Rachel zipping up the gorgeous red dress I found on clearance. "Santana, you've got a message. Can I open it?"

I nearly tear down the curtain when trying to get my phone, concerned that it might be Dani, and I really don't want Kurt or Rachel to know about her existence right now.

"Unless you want to see either Brittany's lady parts or an extremely graphic sext, Hummel, I advise you to put that phone down," I reply, pointing a stern finger at him. He looks like a deer caught in headlights as the phone slips through his fingers and onto the couch he's occupying. "Good boy, Bambi." I pick up the phone to see that I had made a good decision in scarring the poor boy for life with mental images as the text is from Dani.

** [From Dani]: These past 4 days have been the longest of my entire life. I kind of miss your face.**

I try to suppress any type of emotion from showing on my face as I can feel two pairs of eyes on me, but on the inside I'm beaming.

"So… was it Brittany?" Kurt asks awkwardly, folding his hands over his knee as Rachel chuckles at his discomfort.

"Yeah, it was, and you should be eternally grateful that you did not read that message," I say before typing out a quick reply.

**[To Dani]: Only two more to go! And I definitely miss yours, no kind ofs about it.**

I bite my lip, unsure if that was too forward and too inappropriate for someone who is in a relationship but then figure that it doesn't matter because it's the truth.

"You should really think about buying that dress, Santana. It looks really good on you, and red is definitely your color," Rachel says, and I look in the mirror to see that she's actually right. It's not overly fancy and can be worn to casual occasions while still making my assets look even more impressive. My phone buzzing in my hand again pulls me away from the mirror.

**[From Dani]: You're a sweetheart. What are you doing?**

Rachel and Kurt have started looking at more dresses so that Rachel can leave with something nice as well, and that distraction leaves me with the opportunity to text Dani freely.

** [To Dani]: Dress shopping with a couple of friends. What about you? :)**

** [From Dani]: Watching Imagine Me & You because I'm a stereotypical lesbian. Have you found any cute dresses?**

I snap a picture in the mirror once Rachel and Kurt's backs are turned and attach it to the message.

** [To Dani]: I've never seen that movie before. I found one, what do you think?**

** [From Dani]: You've never seen it?! Oh my god, we have to watch it sometime. And you better be getting that, you look stunning in it.**

The other two have finally found a couple of dresses for Rachel to try on, so I finish up the conversation with Dani to prevent any questions.

** [To Dani]: We definitely should. :) But my friends are crazy, so I'll talk to you later, ok? **

** [From Dani]: That's fine. Have fun! Xo**

"Stop sending inappropriate messages to your girlfriend and get in here and help me try these on, Santana," Rachel says, grabbing my arm and pulling me back behind the curtain again.

* * *

The next two days feel even longer than the previous four. Slowly but surely, however, it becomes time to leave the apartment and go see Dani again.

I agreed to meet her at the small hotel that she's still staying at and then we would go to a cute ice cream place she knows a few minutes away. When I meet her at the hotel, we exchange hugs, smiles, and compliments and are on our way.

When we turn onto the street that the ice cream parlor is on, I realize how familiar my surroundings are and realize that this is the same street that Brittany's dance studio is on. I quell the small wave of panic that hits me with a couple of deep breaths and with several silent prayers that she's busy with a class.

Once we sit down at a table, we start in on the simple sundaes we ordered. Dani reaches up to brush a piece of hair out of her eyes, the sleeve of her shirt slips and her tattoos, which have somehow totally slipped my mind, make a small appearance.

"I've always kind of wanted to get a tattoo, you know," I tell her. It's true, it's always been something I thought about but was never adventurous enough to consider doing.

She raises an eyebrow at me before saying, "Really?" When I nod sincerely, she asks, "Then why haven't you gotten one?"

"I don't know. My parents would probably have a heart attack simultaneously if they ever found out. And I don't think it would have been something that my abuela would have approved of."

Dani picks up what I said about my grandmother instantly. "Would have?"

"Yeah, um, she passed away just before the start of my senior year of college," I reply, which causes Dani's face to drop due to empathy.

"Oh Santana, I'm so sorry," she whispers. "Were you guys close?"

I take a deep breath. This is the first time I've spoken about my abuela to anyone. Whenever Brittany or Rachel or my parents would bring it up, I would always brush them off. "Kind of. I mean, we were. I spent every moment with that woman until my last year of high school, when she disowned me when I came out to her." I stuff my mouth with a spoonful of sundae, distracting myself.

Dani nods with understanding, having been in a very similar situation herself. "That really sucks, Santana. I wish you never had to go through anything like that."

I give a small appreciative smile before changing the subject, "So, how many tattoos _do_ you have?"

She smiles back and answers, "Thirteen."

I cover my mouth to prevent spitting out ice cream at her. "Are you being serious?"

She nods shyly at me. "I would show you all of them but I don't think the owner of this fine establishment would appreciate me undressing in the middle of the shop. One day I'll show you, though."

I gulp another spoon of ice cream down. Dani has plans to undress in front of me one day in a setting that isn't professional like in the hospital. Even though it's for something as innocent as showing me tattoos, I have to fight off a wave of excitement, guilt, and shame at the thought.

Almost as if she can sense what I'm feeling, she changes the subject instantly. "So, how did shopping with your friends go?"

We spend the rest of the time talking about Rachel and Kurt and my friendship with them and how embarrassing they can be. "And that's not even _half_ of it. You have to meet them some time, just so that you can get a better understanding of how genuinely crazy they are," I tell her. I'm so caught up in her presence that I don't even realize what I said until she smiles.

"I'd really like that." Even if I wanted to keep Dani away from my friends, I know that I would never be able to keep them separate now that she would like to meet them. "So, are you ready to go? I'd love to stay longer but I think we've overstayed our welcome," she says, pointing over at the small, bald owner of the shop who is glaring at us.

With a chuckle, I rise from the seat, "Yeah, let's go."

We've taken maybe a dozen steps outside of the shop when I hear an all too familiar voice call my name out behind me and I can feel my blood run cold as I stop walking and slowly turn around. Dani looks at me with confusion as she turns around as well.

Brittany is jogging up to us, clad in skin tight leggings, a sports bra, and an open hoodie allowing her muscular stomach to be on display, a look of surprise covering her face. "Hey, San, what are you doing over this way?" she asks before placing her hands on my cheeks and giving me a quick peck on the lips. When she pulls away, I glance over at Dani to see a blank expression on her face as she stares at Brittany.

"Hey," I say with a tight smile. I kind of wish a hole in the earth would spontaneously open up and swallow me whole just to get out of this situation. "I'm just out with my friend Dani. We had ice cream," I explain awkwardly, waving towards Dani.

Brittany smiles at me and then looks over at Dani who is still expressionless. "Hi, Dani, I'm Brittany, Santana's girlfriend," she says confidently, stretching out a hand. Dani shakes her hand, giving a small, obviously forced smile.

"I'm Dani. Santana's former patient turned friend," Dani responds, to which Brittany just raises her eyebrows and nods. It's obvious that she's unsure of Dani because I have never befriended patients before and have never even mentioned Dani before.

To try to make the situation less awkward, I ask, "So Britt, what are you doing out here?"

Brittany turns back to me and smiles and replies, "Oh, I ran out of water, so I'm just running to the small convenience store to get a bottle before my next class starts." She glances at her watch once she realizes that she is indeed on a schedule. "Crap, I've got to go." She leans in and gives me another quick kiss and says, "See you at home."

Brittany is jogging away when she remembers that there was another person with me and calls out, "Nice to meet you, Dani!"

Dani and I begin to walk again and the silence between us is almost unbearable. "So…," she says, "You didn't tell me that you were dating Thor's younger, much more attractive sister."

I let out an airy laugh when I see that she's smiling. "I didn't really peg that as your type," she confesses, to which I raise an eyebrow.

I shrug and respond, "Brittany is Brittany. It could be worse, I guess."

"Really?" she asks, genuinely confused. "How so?"

"Instead of Thor's sister I could be dating Sonic the Hedgehog," I deadpan, and her laughter can only be described as a cackle, and yet it is still the most adorable thing I have ever heard.

"Touché," she replies, still sporting a large smile.

When we stop in front of the hotel once again, she turns to me and says, "Despite that small bit of awkwardness, I had a good time again. We'll make more plans soon, yeah?"

"Definitely," I smile.

As Dani is turning away, she stops and looks at me again. "I'm going back to work again tomorrow, so if you wanted to stop in for free coffee on your way to work most days, I wouldn't complain."

"You're going to get sick of seeing me."

She chuckles whilst shaking her head and turning away again and quietly replies, "Never."

* * *

I'm sitting on the couch reading a book when Brittany gets home. She sits next to me on the couch, staring mindlessly at the TV for five minutes before she finally asks, "So, Dani, huh?"

I knew that this would happen and had prepared a totally reasonable explanation, but now I completely forget what I had planned to say. "Yeah, I met her a couple of weeks ago. She got hit by a taxi and spent a couple of days in my sector. She's really funny," I say lamely.

Brittany nods and continues to stare at the TV. "That's good. I'm glad you're making more friends, Santana, it'll be a nice change of pace for you." She pats my knee and stands up, going in the direction of the bathroom. Just before she closes the door she says, "She's really pretty." I shrug at her and she closes the door.

When I hear the water from the shower running, I quietly say to myself, "Pretty isn't an accurate enough word."

* * *

**Hope you enjoyed! :)**


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